Soap rack



Jan. 6, 1942. BACKSTROM 2,269,303

'SOAP BACK Filed Feb. 9, 1940 INVENTOR ADOZP/l BACAJf/POM ATTORNEY f 1 UNITED .SIVTAT Patented Jan. 6,1942 I i S NT OF 3 Claims This invention is concerned with improve- -ments in soap trays, and a particular object thereof is to provide a collapsible tray orrack which may, when collapsed, be readily packed flat in a small envelope, and which when as-s; -.semble d is adapted to rest upon a lavatory or conventional soap dish. v

A further object of the invention. is to provide an elevated soap rack adapted to so support the soap that it'may dry thoroughly after use Without becoming gummy, due towater .absorption, on its lower surface as frequently occurs when soap cakes are deposited fiat upon a lavatory surface or closed soap dish.

A further object is to provide a soap rack? which holds a cake of soap in a tilted position so that surplus water thereon may drain to a corner, of the cake, thus avoiding the-nuisance of having the soap soft on one side and'hard A further, object of the invention is to providemeans by which water erosion of a soap Fig.--2.

disposed in parallel spaced relation and are se I the endsthereoL-and an inclined" thickened top edge 12 terminating in an abutment I3 atits v lower end. The thickened top edge isshown in Preferably, four such members are cured toonelanotheri by a coupling member I4 which comprises a flatstrip, as shown in Fig. 3,

having, slots extending part way acrossthe .members l4 and I0.

' width of thewstrip; The members I0 are slotted at I6 whereby the members It] may be assembled on the .member M with the slots l5 and I6 respectively embracing .portions of the sides of the The fit 'of' the members with respect to their slots-isintended to be quite close so that. the-members are held in their Qproper relation by frictional engagement when on the other. 120

cake is minimiz ed to the end that greater econ- I "omies in the use of soap may be effected. j A further object is to provide a collapsible soap rackwhich may be readily fabricated from plas- 'tic materials at a very low price and which accordingly may be considered as a semi-disposable item, although when made from suitable materials the rack will have indefinite life. Still another object is toprovide a soap rack which will readily accommodate either a full size cake of soap or one which has become rather smallthrough frequent use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in reading, the detailed description below in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled soap rack; I Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig 3 is a plan of thecoupling element for the rack;

Fig. 4'is an end view of one of the rack elements;

Fig. 5 is a perspective elevation showing how the rack may be packaged when collapsed;'

Fig. 6 is an end view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, indicating how a cake of soap is disposed thereon, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the coupling element for the alternative arrangement.

The rack comprises a plurality of similar fiat members I0, each provided with a flat bottom i strip I4. in horizontally spacedrelation relative once assembled. The member I4 may. be disposed with its flat surface-either horizontal, as

shown, or angled with respect to a horizontal plane, and preferably the strip lies rearwardly with respect to notches ll between the. inclined edges 1l2 and the abutments l3. -When a cake of soap'is placed across the several members l0 it will; of course, be inclined with respect to the horizontal and water thereon will flow along the surface of the soap, to the lowermost corner thereof whence it may drip on to the supporting surface, whatever it may be. By disposing the to the soap cake, the drip from the lowermost corner. of thesoap will not impinge upon the member.

It will be appreciated that the several elements I0 and I4 are'fiat in themselves andthus they I may easily be pa'ckaged' in a fiat envelope as indicated in Fig. 5', thus affording a small and compact package which may readily be placed in luggage or on sales counters in a minimumspace. To afford economyof material used in the device, the wider portions of the members Iflmay be formed with openings l8, which openings also allow for the insertion of the member l4 when the members H! are being assembled thereon. I I

In Figs. 6.and 7, an alternate arrangement is shown wherein the vertical members 20 have lower and upper edges 2| after the manner of the Through each member 20 a slot 23 is formed,

the central portion of the slot comprising a circular hole 24. A coupling member 25, shown edge II which may. if desired, have bosses at in Fig. 7, comprises a central rod 26 having fiat portions '21 spaced therealong and projecting from opposite sides thereof, the spacing between the fiat portions 2'! being the same as the thickand 22 respectively,

first embodiment ness of the members 20. Accordingly, the rod 26 may be passed through the hole 24 of each member 20, and as each such member lies opposite a space between the flat portions 21, the members and 25 may be rotated a quarter turn relative to one another by which they are securely retained in proper position. The top edge 22 may have an integral abutment 28 formed thereon to act as a stop when the members 20 and 25 are turned relative to each other.

As indicated above, the several elements of the device are preferably made from plastics, although they might likewise be made from metals or other non-metallic material. Fig. 6 indi-' cates how a cake of soap may be placed upon the rack, and Fig. 7 additionally shows small flat portions 29 at the ends of the rod 26 by which the end members 20 are retainedin assembled relation. Any suitabl number of members ill or 20 may be used, although it is deemed that four is an adequate number to provide support for a cake of soap of either full dimension or reduced dimension resulting from use, the plurality of members H] or 20 allowing for the support of the soap as it reduces in size.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without de-" parting from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes;

I claim as my invention:

1. A demountable rack for a soap cake comprising a plurality of more than two similar upright flat elements each having a base edge, a

' top edge inclined throughout amajor part at an angle of substantially 20 with respect to the base edge and inclined throughout a minor part to make substantially a right angle with the major part, said minor part starting at that end of the major part which is closest to the base edge, front and rear edges respectively'joining the base edge with the ends of the minor and major parts of the top edge; said flat elements I each having an opening therein part of which is in the form of a slot; and a cross element formed from a rectangular strip having spaced slots along a longer side thereof; said strip passing through the openings of the several flat elements and having the elements passed into the spaced slots,the cross element being also passed into the slots of the flat elements."

2. A demountable rack for a soap cake comprising a plurality of more than two similar upright fiat elements each having a base edge, a top edge inclined throughout a major part at an angle of substantially 20 with respect to the base edge and inclined throughout a minor part to make substantially a right angle with the major part, said minor part starting at that end of the major part which is closest to the base edge, front and rear edges respectively joining the base edge with the ends of the minor and major parts of the top edge; said flat elements each having an opening therein part of which is in the form of a slot; and a cross element formed from a rectangular strip having spaced slots along a longer side thereof, said strip passing through the openings of the several flat elements and having the elements passed into the spaced slots, the cross element being also passed into the slots of the flat elements, successive slots in the rectangular strip, and hence said fiat elements, being spaced apart a distance which is substantially less than half of th length of a normal, new soap cake but the end flat elements being spaced apart a distance which is substantially equal to the length of a normal new soap cake, whereby two or more of said flat elements serve to support a soap' cake whether new or reduced in size due to use.

3. A demountable rack for a soap cake comprisinga plurality of more than two similar upright flat elements each having a base edge, a top edge inclinedthroughout a major part at an angle of substantially 20 with respect to the base edge and-inclined throughout a minor part i to make substantially a right angle with themajor part, said minor part starting at that end of the major partwhich is closest to the base edge,

1 front and-rear edges respectively joining thebase edge with the ends of the minor and major parts of. the top edge; said flat elements each having an opening therein part of which is in the form of a slot; and across element formed from a rectangular strip having spaced slots along a longer side thereof, said strip passing through the openings of the several flat elements and having the lements passed into the spaced slots,

' thecross element being also passed into the slots of the flat elements, the whole top edge 'of each of said upright fiat elements being formed as a rounded bead of greater thickness than the balance of the element. I

ADOLPH BACKSTROM. 

